Woodpecker lunch

Woodpecker eating suet

This Hairy Woodpecker is enjoying lunch in spite of having it's picture taken.  As usual, it has to share the bounty with other birds but probably knows there is more where that came from.  The birds are so used to people interrupting their meals or if someone tries to touch them that they will only fly up in the closest tree until we move away.

Tracks

We now have a lovely pattern in the snow on the lawn.  It appears that a friendly fox or two were around to visit.  We nor our neighbors have dogs so we know they are not dog tracks.  We have seen foxes around and we do have wild rabbits so maybe they were having a game of tag.

Freeze Frame!

Not quite as chilly as it was when I got up this morning but still a bit on the crisp side.  Even at this temperature, the birds are happily feeding away at the seed and suet feeders.  It amazes me that with the earth frozen, the house creaking with cold, the trees snapping with frost and those little birds just carry on doing what they do every day of the year.  Eat, sleep and try to stay comfortable in their living quarters while we try to do the same.  Like the birds, some people like the cold, some fly south and some like to do a little of both.  What kind are you?  Comments and feedback are welcome.  

Shrike?

I am almost certain this is a Northern Shrike.  It has been many years since I have seen one here but this one has been feeding on a mouse and has ignored the seed feeders.  It has been here for about a week now and as we have a lot of chickadees and goldfinches as well as mice and moles, perhaps this one will join the owl and stay around.  If anyone thinks it might be something different - please let me know.   

OWLS

This beauty is a barred owl and it is waiting patiently for a mouse to come along.  One of our feeders is close to the ground and as usual, the birds tend to leave a few bits on the ground at the end of the day.  The mice come along to eat the leftover seeds and the owl waits patiently for his dinner.  In the past we have seen many barred owls and one very small screech owl here. 

Over the years these barred owls have come around mostly during the winter months, but occasionally in other seasons as well.  One of them was sitting on a branch in the hemlock tree beside the house and appeared to be watching us in the house.  The next morning I assumed that it had flown away.  In the afternoon my daughter was coming home from school and asked why the owl was sleeping in the snow under the tree.  I took it to a bird expert who informed me that owls often starve to death during the winter from lack of food.  I think that is one of the reasons, all these years later, that I feed all the birds especially during the harsh winter months.  Other than attracting the mice for them, I have not discovered another method for feeding the owls.

 This update is a daytime picture of the barred owl in a oak tree.  He should be sleeping!





SCIENTIFIC NAME     Strix varia

CLASSIFICATION

Class:	Aves
Order:	Strigiformes
Family:	Strigidae
Genus:	Strix
Species:	varia

SIZE

Length:	Male:	17-20 inches
	Female:	20-24 inches
Weight:	Male:	1-1 1/2 pounds
	Female:	1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds
Wingspan:	Male:	40-46 inches
	Female:	45-50 inches

APPEARANCE:  The Barred Owl is a medium-sized gray-brown owl that is streaked with white horizontal barring on the chest and vertical barring on the belly. They are round-headed with a whitish-brown facial disk that has brown trim. There are no feather tufts. The eyes are brown, and the beak is yellow and almost covered by feathers. The dark brown back is spotted with white and the long tail is crossed with six or seven sharply defined bands of pale brown. There is no difference in plumage between the males and the larger females.

We have had snow and colder weather for a while and finally the bears, raccoons and chipmunks have gone into hibernation for the winter.  I can finally leave my bird feeders out just for the birds.  They are making such good use of them that I just can't seem to keep ahead of them.  Sunflowers, suet, nuts and just balls of fat seem to keep them coming back.  My favourite hummingbirds however have flown south for a bit.  Nothing like rushing the seasons but I can't wait to see the first ones coming to my window and hovering there as if to say - what - no food out for me yet?  It seems every year one in particular comes to the window and, as if suspended from a string, will stare at me through the window.

7 Things to Think About BEFORE You Buy That Bird!

 This is similar to an article I posted last week.  Although it is not exactly the same I am sure you will get the general idea.

7 Things to Think About BEFORE You Buy That Bird!

Once you have decided to buy a bird there are several things you should think about before you actually buy one.  The breed, the size, the cage, and the joy they will bring should be secondary to the things you should know first.

I‘ve had a number of smaller caged birds over the years. I’ve had ones that talk and ones that don’t.  Some that are loud and obnoxious and some that are quiet and shy.  Some that sing and some that squawk.  Some that screech and some that chatter back and forth to each other all day long.     

They All Make a Huge Mess!!  

All birds preen. 

That is, they are constantly either fixing their own feathers or the feathers on another bird.  Sometimes the cat and sometimes the person that lets it perch on their head.  Preening is a whole other story.  Suffice it to say – birds preen and they moult.  Their feathers fall out and new ones grow in.  Of course, every time the birds flap their wings for exercise those feathers are scattered everywhere.  

All birds eat.

Caged birds usually eat seeds and seeds have shells.  Most birds don’t eat the shells so they have to get rid of them and as they don’t have hands to hold the shells – they use their beaks and those shells fly.  Sometimes I think the shells have wings when I find them so far away from the cage. 

However, all is not lost – you can buy cage skirts or make your own that fit around the bottom of the cages to keep the seeds and feathers on the inside, not on your floor. 

If you don’t mind the feathers floating around your house you can always try feeding them the seeds that have no shells.  Bits of fruit and veggies.  Or just resign yourself with the fact and get on with sweeping it up every day.   

 All birds need water.

Clean water to drink – and clear of feathers and seed shells.  I know – you ask – how am I going to keep it clear of feathers and shells when every time one of them flaps – there will be more things in the water.   I have a bird bath attached to the cage but the birds prefer to bathe in their drinking water cups instead.  So every day and sometimes twice a day – the water has to be changed. 

All birds need exercise.

Now with all that eating, preening, bathing and drinking you need someplace for them to exercise.  You will need a cage with enough room in it that is free of toys, drinking and food cups and anything else you might have in there so the wings can be fully expanded.  I must admit – I do allow mine to fly outside the cage now and then and they just love it. 

Relaxing?

Now with all that done – they are going to relax – and well, they must get rid of some of that food and water they had.   Rather than you trying to catch the droppings when they gotta go - you can use ripped up newspapers, cedar chips, grit paper and a host of other products that are disposable in the bottom of the cage.   Try to find a cage that is easy to clean – it sure saves a lot of time. 

After a hard day.

All birds sleep – at least all mine do.  It is the only time they are semi-quiet.  Those budgies still chatter when they are napping! 

A cover over the cage at night stops the chatter and they are all tucked in but.... I have a cockatiel.  Cockatiels suffer from night fright and often in the middle of the night the ruckus is enough to wake the proverbial dead.  Squawking, flapping and not only the cockatiel is at it now but the whole lot of them.   After a few nights of that – I have a nightlight in the room for the birds and we all sleep peacefully.

Location to park the bird cage.

You will need a stand or a table to put the bird cage on.  Be careful to ensure that the cage is away from any plants because some plants are toxic to birds and to ensure that the birds don’t make a mess of those beautiful leaves.   They have chewed up some of mine and they take a long time to recover. 

Enjoy your birds!